Toilet signal device



30, 1937. SIMQNSEN 2,075,308

TOILET SIGNAL DEVICE Filed OCt. 20, 1936 Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v TOILET SIGNAL nnvrcn Alfred B. Simonsen, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 20, 1936, Serial No. 106,595

' 11 Claims. (01. 4-239) This invention relates to toilet signal devices and more particularly to signal appliances for attachment to toilet seats, although certain features thereof may be employed with equal 5 advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a signal device for association with a toilet seat that will indicate the functional performance thereof by infants, invalids or other incapacitated individuals.

' Numerous types of signal devices have heretofore been proposed for different purposes, and attempts have been made tosignalize the toilet functions of infants and invalids so far as indieating when a mattress has become wetted and for analagous purposes. It is proposed, 'however, to provide a practical, inexpensive, and effective device to avoid the'necessity of constant attendance and supervision to the toilet func tions of infants, invalids and other incapacitated individuals.

Extreme patience is normally required in exerting supervisory and attendant efforts to effect the toilet functions of infants, invalids and other incapacitated individuals. Then, too, such requires appreciable time from the moment a desire is expressed or from the time the attendant deems it necessary to urge such a function. Infants, invalids and incapacitated individuals delay such action and usually demand coaxing to an extent that such occupies a greater part of an attendants time.

With the teachings of the present invention, the infant, invalid or incapacitated individual can be placed by an attendant over a toilet seat and allowed to remain thereover without further attention. When the toilet has taken place, a signal will be automatically operated and will serve as an indicator for the attendant to dis- 40 pose of the excrement and return the infant,

invalid or other incapacitated individual to their normal routine without the attendant having devoted any appreciable time. Then, too, it is proposed as an optional feature, to provide a signal that is pleasing such as the operation of a music box so as to induce the performance or accomplishment of the normal toilet functions.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide an improved and simplified toilet signal device that will more effectively indicate the functional performance thereof.

Still another object is to provide a signal device for the toilet that will indicate the normal discharge of excrement to the receptacle from the position above the seat member.

A further object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and more effective signal device for a toilet receptacle that will be operative responsive to the discharge of excrement to the toilet receptacle from a position above the seat member thereof.

A still further object is to provide an attachment for a toilet seat so as to provide signal operating means responsive to the discharge of excrement to the receptacle from a position above the seat member.

Still a further object is to provide a simple and improved bracket member having signal means thereon for ready attachment to a toilet seat that is operative responsive to the discharge of excrement to the receptacle of a toilet.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying features of the present invention, the dotted outline showing a toilet seat member to which attachment may be effected to utilize the teachings of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the signal device shown in Figure 1, the casing being shown in section along the horizontal plane to clarify the :showing and disclose the internal mechanism.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device shown in Figure 1, it being adapted for male use rather than female use as shown in Figure l.

Figure 4 is .a sectional view in elevation of the device shown in Figure 3. I

The structure selected for illustration. comprises a toilet seat ill of any desired shape or configuration depending upon the use for which it is designed. In the preferred embodiment, the seat member ID is divided along the front portion'thereof to present an opening l0, although this is not a requirement and depends upon the dictates of commercial practice. A signal device is preferably attached to the toilet seat It, and in this instance comprises a casing I I having a detachable closure ll on the underside thereof. This signal device is purposed to indicate the performance of the toilet by an in-; fant, invalid or other incapacitated individual as will appear more fully hereinafter.

The detachable closure I I is provided with bracket'arms which are integrally or otherwise attached thereto to secure the'housing ii to the seat It through the medium of its closure li Any suitable fastening'expedients may be inserted through the apertures provided in s the brackets li toeffectively anchor the housing ii with its closure plate ii" to the seat member l0.

In the present embodiment, the housing ii isv attached to the seat member ll within the lil opening iil' provided therein; however, it may be detachably associated with any other portion of the seat It depending upon the dictates of commercial practice and the requirements for any' particular use by infants, invalids or other incapacitated, individuals. I

asrhown, the housing ii terminates, in this instance, in a depending plate ii disposed inwardly of; the seat member II to sustain instrumentalities which will be more clearly described a hereinafter. To this end, the depending plate ii is provided, in this instance, with a pair of I angle brackets i2 fixed to the downward ex-v tremity of the plate li so as to provide a horizontal pivot ii for the lever l4.

The lever I has a downwardlyoifset arm ll which terminates in a horizontally extended arm il serving to sustain an excrement indicator such as a disk i5 disposed in the path of the normal discharge of the excrement from a position above the seat member ill. The disk I! is preferably somewhat concave in configuration and is preferably stamped or otherwise shaped from sheet metal for attachment to the horizontal terminus of the lever extension thereby disposing the disk ll appreciably within the confines of the seat member ill for adaptation to any normal excrement discharge by. infants, invallds, or other incapacitated individuals to the end of requiring attention in their excrement functions.

It is to be noted that the lever M has an up wardly extending arm i8 forwardly of the plate li, it having a horizontally extending extremity or detent i! that enters the housing ii (Figure 2). As shown, the detent i1 is disposed in the 45 path of a rotary member I. constituting a part of a spring motor," mounted in the housing ii. The motor is operates a signal 20 to actuate a music producing element II that constitutes, in this instance. an audible indicator that is attachable to a device of this character, although any other type of indicator may be employed with equal or even better advantage should commercial practiceso dictate. I

In order to render the motor ll operable a spring winding knob 22 extends exteriorly of the housing ii for operative connection to the spring of the motor is. It is to be noted that the lever I4 is mounted on the pivot II at a point so ,as to normally gravitate the lever with its excrement disk II in a clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 1) so as to dispose thedetent il in the path of the rotor ll, thereby precluding the operation of the spring motor ll. With the discharge of excrement to the disk II that is disposed in the path thereof, the lever is will be moved in a counter-clockwise direction (viewed from Figure 1) to raise the detent i1 beyond the path of the rotor ll, thereby releasing the spring motor ilto operate the music element 2i.

The lever i4 is so balanced that even the slightest deposit of excrement upon the disk II by the infant, invalid, or other incapacitated'individual disposed over or upon the seat member ill, will release the spring motor ll and'emit the musical audible signal to inform the-attendant that the -anintegralpartofthehousingii.

toilethsstakenphoe. 'lhisavoidstheoonstant supervision of theattendant, and theinfant,invalid or other in apacitated individual may be leftlnanypossiblepostin-esbovetheseatmem-s beril andthelignalwillbeoperated-responsives tothenormalperformance ofthetoiletfunction.

, a slightly rearward inclined position. with this arrangement, the collector would be pivoted in a counter-clockwise direction (viewedfrom Figure 20 4) thereby releasing thedetent i! from the rotor il comprising apartof the springnioto is. r

In all of the structures described supra, it may be preferable to provide the angle brackets I! (Figure l) with a depending bracket 24 to sustain 25.

a resilient buffer 2! that proiects beyond the disk or receptacle ll, thereby serving to support the entire seat member I! in the proper position from a'wall hook without iniury, to the signal mechanism described hereim f In the embodiment disclosed in Flgure ,3, the buffer 25 may be provided on the bracket 28 that also serves to supportthe collector ll. Inany event, there usually will be a waste container or receptacle disposed beneath the seat member i0 to collect theexcrement discharge-thereto. The

structure described herein to illustrate the teachings of the instant invention may be built into the seat member I. or constitute a separate bracket for ready associationto seat members al- 40 ready in existence and the type of signal may be varied within a wide range depending upon the dictates of commercial practice.

Various changes maybe made in the embodiment of the'invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the inventionoranyfcatures thereof, and nothingherein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any 5 part thereof except as defined in the appended claims. V I

I claim:--- I 1. An infant's toilet appliance comprising an attachment for a toilet seat containing a signal device, an actuator for the signal device extending into the toilet acne, and weight-responsive means carried by the actuator and operative, to. control the same.

2. An infant's toilet appliance comprising an- 0 attachment for a toilet seat containing a signal device, an extension from the latter into the toilet zone, a rockable lever adapted to actuate the signal with one end, and a receptacle carried by the other end of the lever and effective when weighted 05 to rock the lever and actuate the signal.

- 3. An infant's toilet appliance comprising an attachment fora toilet seat, said seat being divided at its .front portion to form an opening, a signal device positioned in said opening, an exten-. sion from the signal device extending into the toilet zone, alrockable lever adapted to actuate the signal with one end, and a receptacle carried by the other end of the lever and eflective when weighted to rock the lever and actuate the signal.

4. An infants toilet appliance comprising an attachment for a toilet seat, said seat being divided at its front portion to form an opening, a signal device positioned in said opening, and said signal device having lateral extending portions' adapted to be secured to the under side 0! said seat and an extension from the signal device extending into the toilet zone, a rockable lever adapted to actuate the signal with one end, and a receptacle carried by the other end or the lever and efiective when weighted to rock the lever and actuate the signal.

5. An infant's toilet appliance comprising an attachment for a toilet seat containing a signal device, a casing for housing said signal device, an extension being a continuation of the rear wall of said casing extending into the toilet zone, a rockable lever adapted to actuate the signal with one end, and a receptacle carried by the other end of the lever and effective when weighted to rock the lever and actuate the signal.

6. An infants toilet appliance comprising an attachment for a toilet seat containing a signal device, an extension from the latter into the toilet zone, a rockable lever adapted to actuate the signal with one end, and a receptacle carried by the other end of the lever and effective when weighted to rock the lever and actuate the signal,

and a frame carrying a buffer as a protector for the appliance.

'7. An infant's toilet appliance comprising an attachment for a toilet seat containing a signal device, an extension from the latter into the toilet zone, a rockable lever adapted to actuate the signal with one end, and a receptacle carried by the other end 01 the lever and effective when weighted to rock the lever and actuate the signal, and a vertical hollow shield opening from the extension upon the toilet zone to serve as a splash guard.

8. In a device oi the character described, the combination with a toilet receptacle, oi! a seat member associated with said toilet receptacle for sustaining an individual thereover in the required posture, signal means, and means operatively connected to said signal means to render said signal means responsive to the normal discharge of excrement to said toilet receptacle from a position above said seat member.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a toilet receptacle, of a seat member associated with said toilet receptacle for sustaining an individual thereover in a seated posture, signal means, and means operatively connected to said signal means and disposed within the confines of said toilet receptacle to rendersaid signal means responsivefto the normal discharge of excrement to said toilet receptacle from a position above said seat member.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a toilet receptacle, of a seat member detachably associated with said toilet A receptacle for sustaining an individual thereover in the required posture, signal means attached to said seat member, and means operatively connected to said signal means to render said signal means responsive to the normal discharge of excrement to said toilet receptacle from a position above said seat member.

11. As an article of manufacture, a bracket member for attachment to a toilet seat, signal means associated with said bracket member, and signal operating means extending from said bracket member within the confines of the toilet seat to which it is intended for attachment so as to bein the general path of excrement descent and render said signal means operative in consequence thereof.

ALFRED H. SIMONSEN. 

